Bitcoin: Getting Down to Virtual Currency Basics

“At many credit unions, the apparent upshot of the regulatory signals is confusion. ‘The guidance is not straightforward. It is incredibly confusing,’ said one credit union CEO who asked for anonymity on the advice of legal counsel. He added that, according to his analysis, there also would be a substantial staff burden in complying with regulatory requirements imposed on a credit union classified as a money transmitter under FinCEN, and he is unsure the costs to process Bitcoin transactions are worth the benefits. ‘You have to decide if it is worth it to adhere to the regulations and for us, right now, the answer is no,’ he said. But he insisted that door could open if the Bitcoin demand surfaced.”